Explosion simulating device

ABSTRACT

An electro-mechanical device for simulating an explosion or report is disclosed. A capacitor is charged to a preselected voltage by a battery or a.c. source. A neon lamp indicates when the capacitor has been fully charged. One electrode of the capacitor is coupled to a spark generating grating. The other capacitor electrode is coupled to a movable plunger which makes contact with the grating for generating a spark, explosion and smoke.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to simulating devices and in particularto spark and explosion simulating circuits.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Simulating devices are generally known in the prior art such as toy gunswhich simulate a gun shot. Some of these toy guns produce a report bymechanical means such as by the sudden motion of the piston within a gunor rifle barrel. The sound generated by a rapid moving piston within thegun barrel. The report generated by such toy gun is not very realisticand there is neither a flash of light nor smoke.

Another example of a toy gun is one that utilizes a cap, a papercontainer having a small explosive charge, for producing a report. Thetoy cap gun does generate a loud report but occasionally the caps do notdischarge. Also cap guns do not generate a flash of light or smoke whichcomes from the barrel. Thus cap guns are not realistic either.

Still another example of a toy gun is the type which uses a metal armrubbing against a rotating abrasive wheel thereby producing a shower ofsparks. The limitation of such a device is that a continuous shower ofsparks is emitted rather than discrete flashes as an actual gun wouldemit. In addition some of these toy guns employ a clicking sound effectdevice for simulating the report. Of course, such a sound effect deviceprovides no realism.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide asimple, reliable and realistic explosive device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy gun forgenerating a report having realism.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an alarmor a sound effect device.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a toy gunthat is safe for children to operate.

In accordance with the above objects an explosion simulation deviceinclude means for providing power coupled to a charging circuit. Thecharging circuit regulates the charge applied to energy storage meanshaving first and second electrodes. The first electrode of the storagemeans is coupled to a second contact. The second electrode of saidstorage means is coupled to a first contact. Control means are coupledto a second contact for selectively making electrical connection betweenthe first and second contacts for discharging the storage means andgenerating a report and flash of light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a first embodiment ofan explosion simulation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a contact for discharging thestorage means of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a second embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a third embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring more specifically to FIG. 1 an explosion simulation network 10includes a power source or supply 12 such as a 110 volt supply or abattery. The power supply 12 may be turned on and off by a double polesingle throw switch 14. One pole of the switch 14 is connected to theanode electrode of a diode 16 for controlling the charge currentwhenever an a.c. power source is used. Thus charging occurs during onlythe positive half cycle. A variable bias resistor shown here aspotentiometer 18 is connected between the cathode electrode of the diode16 and the second pole of the switch 14. The potentiometer 18 controlsthe voltage to which the capacitor 30 is charged. The wiper terminal ofthe potentiometer 18 is connected to the base electrode of a transistor20 shown here as a modified emitter follower configuration. A currentlimiting or load resistor 22 is connected between the cathode electrodeof the diode 16 and the collector electrode of the transistor 20. Oneterminal of a resistor 24 is connected to the cathode electrode of thediode 16 while the other terminal is connected to the first electrode ofa neon lamp 26. The neon lamp 26 provides a triple function in thecircuit. Firstly, when the switch 14 is on, the lamp 26 glowesindicating that there is current flowing through resistor 22 causing avoltage drop thereacross. When the lamp turns off the capacitor isnearly fully charged to its preselected voltage. The lamp 26 may alsoglow to indicate there is fault in the circuit causing a high current toflow in resistor 22. A voltage divider may be used in lieu of thepotentiometer 18. The emitter electrode of the transistor 20 isconnected to the first terminal of a storage capacitor 30. The secondterminal of the storage capacitor 30, having 2000-3000 microfaradcapacity, is connected to the second pole of the switch 14 and to afirst conductive contact 32 which is mounted at the muzzle end of a gunbarrel 33 of a toy gun or canon. The first electrode of the capacitor 30is also connected to a plunger rod 34 having a second conductive contact35 mounted thereon. The capacitor 30 may be any commercially availablecapacitor such as made by Sprague Electronics.

The barrel 33 may be made of a conductive material such as brass, ironor steel and has a recessed ring at the muzzle end to which the secondterminal of the storage capacitor 30 is connected. A coiled metal bandforms a contact 32 and is inserted into the recessed ring at the end ofthe barrel 33. The dielectric annular rings 38 and 39 may be attached tothe gun barrel 33 by any convenient method such as cement or having a"press-fit" with the barrel 33. The inside diameter of the rings 37 and38 should be of sufficiently large size to allow the plunger rod 34 toslide freely back and forth. The plunger 34 has a washer affixed to itfor resting against an end of a compression spring 40. The other end ofthe spring rests against the annular ring 38. The spring 40automatically returns the rod 34 after the toy gun has been fired. Anyother convenient method may be used to return the rod and separate thetwo contacts after firing.

A control unit 42 is connected to one end of the plunger 34 for movingthe plunger back and forth. The control unit 42 may be any number ofconvenient means. For example, the rod 34 may be manually moved to makeand break contact between the contacts 32 and 35. The control unit 42may consist of a soleniod which is energized by a sound activatedamplifier. A sound activated control unit 42 may be utilized with aburglar alarm system according to the present invention. Alternately,the control unit 42 may be a motor driven cam which activates the rod 34for repetitive firing. If used in a toy gun the control unit 42 may bethe trigger and hammer which strikes the rod 34 moving it forward sothat the contact 32 and 35 make electrical connection for dischargingthe capacitor 30.

A forward motion of the plunger 34 causes the contacts 32 and 35 totouch and discharge the capacitor 30. As the capacitor 30 is dischargeda loud bang or report is generated along with a flash of light and somesmoke. The intensity or amplitude of the report is determined by thevoltage across the capacitor 30 as determined by the potentiometer 18.The flash and noise are proportional to V² C where V is the voltageacross the capacitor and C is the capacitance in microfarads. Withrepeated use the contacts 32 and 35 are gradually worn away but thesemay be easily replaced.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a typical contact member 32 is described ingreater detail. The contact 32 is an electrically conductive metal bandthat is formed into a coil. The metal band should have a thin crosssection so that only a small area touches contact 35 for greater effect.The contact 32 may have any other convenient shape. For example, insteadof a coiled band a straight band or pin may be used.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment according to the presentinvention is described. The primary winding of an isolation transformer17 receives power from the power supply 12. The secondary winding of thetransformer 17 has several points available for connection to the anodeelectrode of the diode 16. The cathode electrode of the diode 16 isconnected to the load resistor 22. The resistor 22 in connected to oneelectrode of the capacitor 30. The neon lamp 26 and resistor 24 areseries connected together and connected in parallel with the resistor22. The two electrodes of the capacitor 30 are connected to firingmechanism as illustrated to FIG. 1. The circuit according to FIG. 3 issubstantially similar to the operation of FIG. 1 except that the circuitis isolated from the power source 12 by the transformer. Also thetransformer 17 with multiple terminals directly controls the charging ofthe capacitor 30 instead of controlling a transistor which in turncontrols the capacitor 30.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 4, a third embodiment according tothe present invention is now described. The circuit of FIG. 4 is similarto the circuit of FIG. 3 except that a potentiometer 18 is used insteadof the isolation transformer 17 for directly controlling the charging ofthe capacitor 30. Since the operation of the third embodiment issubstantially similar to the operation of both the first and secondembodiments, the operation of the circuit of FIG. 4 will not bedescribed.

Special applications and cost will determine the selection of controlcircuits of FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4.

Several toys utilizing the circuits described herein have been built.For example, a toy cannon was fitted with the circuit according to FIG.1 and operated from a 110V a.c. supply and it was found to provide avery realistic report. A battery operated pistol has also been built andtested. A commercially available toy gun was used and a circuitaccording to the invention was fitted within the gun.

Although the present invention has been shown and described withreference to particular embodiments, nevertheless various changes,modifications, obvious to one skilled in the art to which the inventionpertains are deemed to lie within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An explosion simulation device, comprising:powerinput means; charge regulation means coupled to said power input meansfor receiving power therefrom and providing energy to energy storagemeans; energy storage means for storing energy from said power inputmeans in response to said charge regulation means, said energy storagemeans having first and second electrodes; barrel means; first contactmeans being coupled to the first electrode of said energy storage meansbeing disposed in said barrel means; second contact means being coupledto the second electrode of said energy storage means for makingelectrical connection with said first contact means for rapidlydischarging energy stored in said energy storage means and simulating anexplosion, said second contact means being movably mounted within saidbarrel means; and support means for movably mounting said second contactmeans within said barrel means.
 2. The invention according to claim 1,comprising said charge regulation means including a potentiometer havingfirst, second and third electrodes said first electrode being coupled tosaid power input means, said second electrode being coupled to thefirst;said current means including a transistor having first, second andthird electrodes, said first electrode being coupled to said power inputmeans, said second electrode being coupled to the second electrode ofsaid energy storage means, said third electrode being coupled to thethird electrode of said potentiometer for controlling current flow intosaid energy storage means from said transistor.
 3. The inventionaccording to claim 1, comprising:spring means coupled to said secondcontact means for disengaging said first and second contact means afterelectrical contact.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein saidsupport means comprise:plunger means being coupled to said secondcontact means for selectively moving said second contact means formaking electrical contact with said first contact means; and annularring means for movably mounting said plunger means.
 5. An explosionsimulating device comprising:power input means; charge regulation meanscoupled to said power input means for receiving power therefrom and forproviding energy to energy storage means; energy storage means forstoring energy from said power input means in response to said chargeregulating means, said energy storage means having first and secondelectrodes; first contact means being coupled to the first electrode ofsaid energy storage means; second contact means being coupled to thesecond electrode of said energy storage means for making electricalconnection with said first contact means for rapidly discharging energyin said energy storage means and simulating an explosion; support meansfor movably mounting said second contact means; and solenoid means beingcoupled to said second contact means for selectively moving said secondcontact means for making electrical connection with said first contactmeans.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said solenoid meanscomprise:sound actuating amplifier means for controlling said secondcontact means for simulating an explosion.
 7. The invention according toclaim 5, wherein said charge regulating means comprise:a transistorhaving first, second and third electrodes; said first electrode beingcoupled to the second electrode of said energy storage means forproviding current thereto in response to the control signal on thesecond electrode of said transistor; voltage control means coupled tothe second electrode of said transistor and to said power input means,said voltage control means being for providing a control signal forcontrolling said transistor; and load resistor coupled between saidinput power means and the third electrode of said transistor forproviding current to said energy storage means.
 8. The inventionaccording to claim 5 wherein said charge regulating meanscomprise:transformer means having primary and secondary windings, saidprimary windings being coupled to said input power means; and a resistorcoupled to the secondary winding of said transformer for providingcurrent to said energy storage means.
 9. The invention according toclaim 5 wherein said charge regulating means comprise:voltage dividermeans coupled to said power input means; a resistor coupled to saidvoltage divider means for providing current to said energy storagemeans.
 10. The invention according to claim 5 further comprising:controlmeans coupled to said second contact means for selectively providingelectrical connection between said first and second contacts fordischarging said energy storage means, said control means beingresponsive to a preselected signal.